Ursodeoxycholic acid: Improvement of dissolution behaviour and its HPLC determination

The dissolution rate of a drug poorly soluble in water, ursodeoxycholic acid, was improved by using dissolution rate enhancers belonging to the group of cellulose and starch derivatives. Different techniques (mixing, milling and solvent evaporation) were utilized to prepare drug/carrier systems. The determination of the improved dissolution performance of the drug from the systems has been carried out by a modified in vitro dissolution test apparatus combined with HPLC analysis of the drug. The carriers and the techniques used for improving the dissolution rate, the dissolution apparatus and the HPLC method are proposed here to solve both the dissolution rate problems of the drug and its analytical determination.